New Report Reveals ‘Desperate State’ Of UK Rivers

The Rivers Trust's new report highlights the dire condition of the UK's rivers, with not a single stretch in England or Northern Ireland considered to be in good overall health. Animal agriculture is a key contributor to water pollution in the UK, with farming responsible for nearly two-thirds of river failures affecting 2,337 river stretches. Recently, the charity River Action took legal action against the Environment Agency for failing to address chicken manure pollution in the River Wye.

The report reveals that not only are no English rivers in good overall health, but 85 percent of river stretches fall below good ecological standards. The decline in river health has worsened since the last report in 2019. The rise of mega-farms has increased the amount of manure polluting UK rivers, highlighting the destructive legacy of animal agriculture on water quality and the environment worldwide. Animal agriculture is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and resource depletion, with far-reaching impacts on both people and the planet.